


People Change (Maybe in Ten Years)

by kirani



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Getting Back Together, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Reconciliation, Song Lyrics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-02
Updated: 2020-01-02
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:20:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22076092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kirani/pseuds/kirani
Summary: Kent knows the Jack he's texting isn't the same Jack he knew ten years ago. He isn't the same Kent he was ten years ago. But it doesn't matter, because Jack's changed his number.~A fic about how Kent and Jack have changed over the last ten years and how, maybe, that's for the best.
Relationships: Kent "Parse" Parson/Jack Zimmermann
Comments: 8
Kudos: 59
Collections: The Parse Posi Posse's Place phor Phics





	People Change (Maybe in Ten Years)

**Author's Note:**

> everyone was getting all sentimental about the last decade but i really didn't wanna think about it, so instead i wrote a fic about the last decade of kent and jack. and yes, it's a song fic in 2020, deal with it. the song is People Change by Mipso.  
> shout out to the Parse Posse server for letting me ramble about these nerds.

_The thing about people is they change  
_ _When they walk away_

Kent had gone back and forth for two days after he’d heard the news. Jack and his long-time boyfriend had broken up. And the press were going crazy because of who the couple was. From the interviews, it seemed like Jack was doing alright, but you didn’t just end a four-year relationship without feeling a little broken up. Kent could tell he wasn’t alright, he knew Jack.

Well, he used to know Jack. It had been a long time since he’d really known Jack. And, he knows, since Jack really knew him. They’d come to a sort of truce after some rash decisions when Jack was in school. Kent didn’t bother Jack and Jack didn’t bother him. It was fine.

It basically sucked. 

He stared at the contact screen for another long minute, finally opening Jack’s number and typing out a short message. 

**Kent** : hey, i heard about the breakup. i’m really sorry, jack. 

There, that should do it. Nice and simple. No need to answer if he didn’t want to (even if part of Kent really wanted him to). Just enough to let him know that Kent was open to the possibility. The typing bubbles popped up and Kent held his breath.

 **Jack** : I think you have the wrong number, there’s no Jack here. 

His heart dropped to his toes. Whatever part of him that had been stupidly hoping that this time would be different cracked and splintered inside his chest. He typed out a quick reply.

 **Kent** : sorry to bother you 

Kent stared at the phone in his hands, not quite sure what to make of it. Jack had changed his number. Most of him knew it wasn’t anything to do with him. He hadn’t even tried to contact Jack in a couple of years and that last conversation hadn’t even gone badly. But still… 

He no longer had Jack’s number. 

Jack, his best friend and first love. His closest confidant in his teens. He had almost lost him, once, and then he had lost him anyway. As he sat, numb, on his couch, he tried to close the chapter of his life titled “Jack” once and for all. 

He looked at the date. It had been ten years.

 _I used to love you like the world would end  
_ _I used to love you like a child_

When Kent had been younger, still full of anger over circumstances he couldn’t control, he’d envisioned a future where Jack came back to him and everything was the same as it had been before. He’d imagined Jack apologizing for disappearing, for refusing to talk to him, and calling him “Kenny” as he asked to get back together. 

But Kent had grown since then. He had decided he’d chased Jack for long enough and he’d even come to realize some things. 

First, they weren’t good for each other back then. They had pushed each other, competed with each other. It made them good on the ice, hell, it made them amazing on the ice. It had helped shape Kent’s hockey for the rest of his life, probably. But competition in a relationship wasn’t good. They had pushed each other into drinking, taking drugs, pressured each other to stay out later, take new things, flirt more openly. It was dangerous, and it was unhealthy. Kent knew that now.

Second, he wasn’t really chasing Jack anymore. He was chasing who Jack used to be. Jack had quit drinking, gone to rehab, learned to live again, learned to love hockey again. Not as a means to an end, not as living up to his father’s reputation, but loving it for its own sake. He could see it on Jack’s face, now, as he played in the NHL at last. On his own terms. Kenny had been chasing someone who didn’t exist anymore. He had to let that old Jack go.

And last, Kent had changed. He hadn’t noticed it so much until after the second time he came back from cornering Jack at Samwell (and ill-advisedly tried to kiss him in an effort to force a reconciliation neither of them was ready for), that he was different when he chased Jack. And he didn’t like that person anymore.

When he was with the Aces, Kent was confident, mature, put together. He knew what he wanted, how to get it, and how to help others get what they wanted. He’d led his team to a Cup for crying out loud! Twice! He was respected as Kent Parson, Ace’s Captain. But around Jack? He was a mess.

He had arrived back at the hotel that night and fell into Jeff’s bed, completely exhausted. 

“Kent? What’s wrong?”

“I fucked up,” he mumbled into his best friend’s shoulder. “I went back to Samwell.”

“Dude.”

“I know. I don’t know how he still has this effect on me. I turn right back into a clingy, risk-addicted seventeen-year-old whenever I’m around him.”

“I like my Kent better,” Jeff had soothed.

From that moment, on Kent had decided he was done being Jack’s Kent. 

_In ten years, everyone's been down the line  
_ _And we've all ended up fine  
_ _I no longer know your number_

The rest of the summer passed in a daze. There were rookies to welcome, a surprise birthday party Jeff was throwing (that he wasn’t supposed to know about), and weight to put on before the seasons started. He worked like he always did, but he couldn’t close out that portion of his mind that always thought about Jack. 

It had gotten quieter over the last ten years, he could basically ignore it. But sometimes he would let his thoughts wander and would wonder what Jack was like these days. He wondered if Jack would like who Kent was these days. He wondered if they’d be any better for each other these days. 

Mostly, though, he was Kent; his own Kent. He didn’t lose himself in daydreams anymore, he had better things to do. The Aces were looking good this year, a really promising rookie was working his ass off to make the roster and Kent saw a lot of himself in the kid. Jeff had wrapped him into a proposal plan over the summer and had asked Kent to be his best man when Gina had (of course) said yes. He was happy. 

He almost didn’t notice these days when the Falconers were due to come to Vegas. It was almost just like any other out of conference game. Almost.

Still, he was surprised when his phone told him after a practice in late November that he had a missed call and voicemail from an unknown number. A number from Rhode Island. He shoved his phone back in his bag and grabbed his towel for the shower, even as his heart raced with possibilities. 

He chirped his friends, he showered, he dressed, he went home. The whole way home he stole glances at his phone, not sure what he wanted most. Did he want it to be Jack, really? Did he want to try to enforce new boundaries, new rules, onto a relationship ten years dead that always turned him into a mess? Maybe it was better if it was just a coincidence. Sure, the Falcs were in town next week but it still could be someone else. A spam call, maybe. A wrong number. It’s not like he put his name on his voicemail, they couldn’t have known it wasn’t who they intended to call. And if it wasn’t Jack… 

If it wasn’t Jack, he could maintain his normal. He wouldn’t have to worry about keeping himself from turning back into that kid, or getting angry and ruining any chance at a friendship with Jack. No risk. 

He dumped his bag on the floor and flopped onto the couch, phone in hand. Kit settled into his lap like she had been waiting for him and he stroked her distractedly as he finally opened the voicemail. 

“Hi, it’s me. Euh, it’s Jack. Zimmermann.”

Holy shit. Kent’s hand froze and Kit meowed impatiently until he continued.

“I don’t think you have my new number, but I wanted to call and see if you wanted to meet when I’m in town next week. Just to talk. If you don’t, it’s okay. I totally understand. I know I, euh, brushed you off before. And it’s been like… ten years. We’ve both changed a lot. I just thought I’d ask. No hard feelings, okay? Alright, well, I’m gonna go. Bye.”

Kent stared unseeing into space as the voicemail ended. Kit apparently got tired of him not petting her and jumped off his lap, strutting off to cause trouble elsewhere. Kent barely noticed. 

Jack had called. He wanted to meet. Kent opened his phone again and updated Jack’s contact info. Then he opened a text. As he stared at the blank screen, he wondered what to say. 

Did he still want to see Jack? Yes, of course he did. Who was he kidding? He knew they would have to relearn each other. Knew it would be different this time around. 

But maybe that was a good thing. Maybe Kent and Jack had met too young. Had been bad for each other then, but it had been ten years. They’d both changed a lot, but they both knew it. And the part of him that would always be drawn to Jack was too curious to turn down the possibility. He began typing. 

**Kent:** hey Jack, got your message. I’d like that. Let me know when you have your schedule, we’ll set something up.

The message changed to “read” almost immediately and the typing bubbles showed on the screen.

 **Jack:** Thanks, I will. 

The bubbles showed on the screen again, but no message came through. Finally, Kent caved and shot off a reply. 

**Kent:** it was good to hear from you

He stared at the screen as Jack began to type again. 

**Jack:** You too. See you next week. 

It was enough for now.

 _Maybe in ten years  
_ _You'll call me on your telephone  
_ _Wondering if I'm all alone  
_ _Remember how we knew each other?_

A week later, Kent was pacing in front of his couch. Kit had long since gotten sick of him and run off to his bedroom, upset with his restless energy. He had changed clothes three times, redone his hair twice, and double-checked the location of his various refreshments he had to offer. There was nothing to do but wait. 

Finally, the doorbell rang. Kent rushed to the door then paused, trying not to seem too eager. He opened the door with a smile that felt too much like a media-smile and found Jack on his front step. He was wearing a button-up shirt with the collar undone, and dark wash jeans. His hair had been styled like he always wore it these days, swept to one side with a fade on the sides. He looked good. 

“Hi,” Kent said dumbly. 

Jack held out a bottle of wine. “I wasn’t sure what you liked so I just brought merlot.”

Kent swallowed. He wouldn’t have the first clue about what Jack drank anymore either. He hadn’t even been sure Jack drank at all anymore. He took the bottle. “That’s great. Come on in.”

Jack gave a small smile and entered the house, looking around curiously. 

“Nice place.”

“Thanks,” Kent shifted his weight from foot to foot as he gave a short tour of the house. It wasn’t big, he didn’t need more than a couple of guest rooms and a game room, nothing like some of the mansions his teammates boasted. He largely kept the team events in the backyard anyway. 

“I’ll just, uh, open this, yeah?” he gestured with the wine bottle. “Make yourself at home.”

Jack nodded and Kent slipped into the kitchen, digging out a corkscrew. He took a deep breath as he popped the cork and poured two glasses. He checked on the casserole in the oven then picked up the glasses. “It’s just Jack,” he whispered to himself. 

When he reentered the front room, Jack looked up and smiled again. It still looked awkward but maybe it was a little less so? He really wasn’t sure. He handed him one of the glasses and sat in the chair beside the couch Jack had chosen. 

“Cheers,” Jack offered, lifting his glass. Kent clinked his own against Jack’s and took a large sip. 

“Damn that’s good,” he said, looking down into the glass. 

“Does Kent Parson actually know wines now?” Jack chirped and Kent felt himself smile as he met his old friend’s eye. 

“I’ve picked up a thing or two. It’s been a while, Jack.”

“I know,” Jack said quietly. “I’m sorry about that.”

“I’m sorry for what I said. And trying to --”

“It’s okay,” Jack cut him off. 

“It’s not.”

“I’m sorry, too. For what I said.”

Both men swirled their wine glasses. 

“I’m glad you called,” Kent said after a long moment. 

“I’m glad you answered,” Jack replied. 

“A lot has changed.”

“I think that’s probably a good thing.”

Kent looked up and studied Jack again. His face was more open than it had been when he’d first arrived. Kent felt his own hope bubbling up again. “Yeah, I think it probably is.”

They relaxed slowly into their respective seats, wine glasses emptying before dinner and once more after. They talked about little things and big things. They chirped and they smirked. It felt like before and it felt nothing like before. 

When Jack had to leave to make curfew, he opened his arms and Kent stepped into them. It felt natural to hug this man, both the same boy he had fallen in love with over ten years ago and a different person altogether. 

Kent thought, maybe, this Jack could be good for this Kent. 

“I’ll see you soon, yeah?” he asked. He wasn’t asking about the game tomorrow.

“Yeah,” Jack answered with a soft smile. “See you soon, Kenny.”

 _The thing about people is they change  
_ _When they walk away_

And sometimes that was for the best.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! i've had the idea for the fic on my mind for a while now and it seemed like the right time to write it. leave a comment if you liked it? i'm on tumblr at willdexpoindexter.


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